July 2007

I wished that these few things are the things that are NOT entertained by me. I wished I could just eliminate all of these useless thoughts and beliefs from my mind. Unfortunately, they constantly bug me – a person who is having a real trouble in making money.

Money does not grow on trees
It is real hard for me to make money
Money would not buy happiness
Making money is not that important to me
I’m lousy at making money
I cannot afford it – but it’s true bah!
It’s better to give than receive
I will never get rich
Who am I to become rich?

I wished I had more of these thoughts on my mind, the thoughts and beliefs that constantly running through the minds of the super rich.

Having lots of money is great
With money I can help lots of people
It is real easy and fun for me to make money
Making lots of money comes easily to me
I am a money magnet
I always have more money than I need
Making lots of money is really great

Well, as they keep entertaining these thoughts and beliefs, their mind, the sub-conscious part of it automatically FOCUS on making lots of money.

I took that, some part of that from an article I read somewhere. So, here we are at the money problem again. It’s normal for us to feel that way, to have money problems I mean even the super-rich face the same problem but maybe different issues. Still related to money, something people say the root of all evil, they face problems like; what to do with all this money I have? For us, as usual when it comes to end of the month or for some as early as the payday car loan, credit cards, housing loan, mummy & daddy, sisters’ monthly allowance, phone bills, internet bills – not to mention the outstanding ones. All of these things come together in just split seconds.

Money is not everything – In a way I do agree. But let say, try and live without it. I strongly doubt that anybody will. Let’s not talk about being a survivor, live on an island and eat for free. That’s pure fantasy. Get on with the real thing. So, it’s not entirely everything but most of the things need money. Ok, plus there’s a need for you to fulfill your spiritual hunger as well but then sometimes that needs money too.

When I first started my long holiday back in December last year, I can still enjoy a plate of kampua for RM2.00. I talk about being back here in a small town can give me a peace in mind, looking at life in a different way – in a sense completely different from the life that I had when I was in KL … and I boasted about being able to blog a lot more about life here than from what I used to be. Well, it did happen in a way. I have changed, how I view things, how I look at life, how I take disappointments, how I endure the hard life of being unemployed.

Now, the only thing that has changed lately is the price of a plate of kampua. Instead of the used-to-be RM2.00 per plate, it’s now RM2.30, a 15% increase and it came at the right time, July 2007 in conjunction with the hike in civil servants salary. In fact some of it got it up as early as a few days before the news about the increment was announced. Do people here complaints? Nope, yes… Nope, not in a proper way, Yes they do talk about it during the kedai kopi hours.

I remember when I was in my primary school days; I used to have kampua for recess time. Back then it was RM1.30 per plate. If you want to buy the already packed kampua, of course the amount is a little smaller but you can get a packet for RM0.50 or even RM0.20 and RM0.10. Those RM0.20 and RM0.10 is more or less the size of the snacks of the same price that you can get from grocery stores. It was not that much but still it was worth snacking.

Do you think we can really become rich if we work hard? Why is it that only a few percent maybe around not more than 10% of the population wealthy whereas the other 90% just manage to get by, hanging by a thread for some despite putting in long working hours, 9-5 and 5 days a week. For some, they don’t have the thing we call weekends even if there is I believe most of us brought back their office work back home and try to finished it before Monday kicks in.

For some, we might not have the choice or simply was just not given any accept for just working our ass out day and night to keep the company floating and at the same to keep food on the table. Isn’t it weird that we do the things that we don’t really want to but we have to keep us alive. Scary, but it’s true. So, we wished that the formula to get rich at least a little bit clearer. Sad, it is not and it continues to be that way unless some efficient and necessary steps are taken. What would that be? I don’t know or should I say I have yet to know. For most people, the concept “Get Rich or Die Trying” is always the main agenda.

We have our own purpose to get rich. It defers for every single person. For some might be the family factor, and there is also to prove that everyone is wrong and maybe just to be in the bandwagon. Whatever it is, everyone have set their priority on what they should do and what will they do next. Last but not least a happy belated birthday to bongkersz’ ah-ma. Dude, I think you’re doing great. Whatever it is, you’ve tried and still trying your very best, I think that’s the best present a son could give, at least for now.

“Soaking case settled”. Well, indeed it is good news and what a relief for Wee Yim Pien that finally the matter was in some way was able to be resolved. I pity her. I can only imagine what she has been going through over the past two weeks. I know this is the third straight post that I am talking about the same thing over and over again. I promise this would be the last of it.

She is a dedicated and a hardworking teacher. That is a fact that cannot be denied, and all of us want her to stay

That is something rather contradicted with what he said a couple of days back where everybody call for the sacking of Wee. But I guess, they were ready to forgive and forget in the spirit of reconciliation. Kudos to all then even though I don’t really agree with the fact that she (Wee) have to ask for pardon for something that I do not think that she have to but then again, that is why we need to tolerate. So that peace can be restored.

Just a quick glance on what I read in the paper today, something that really caught my attention and it came from the vice chairman of Sarawak Bumiputera Teachers’ Union.

They could follow the books as commented by many but many students would be kicked out of school or suspended

Instead they used their own discretion in addressing students with disciplinary problems.

In case you are wondering about what I am talking about here, there is a guideline for disciplinary actions which is stated in the Discipline Management Guidebook 1959. Many have voice out frustrations and dissatisfaction about the matter and called for teachers to look back at guideline on how to deal with these disciplinary problems accordingly but they do not know what the content of the guidebook is all about. If it were to be followed strictly, maybe 30% of the students in this country will have to end their dreams of making it into universities.

There are systems like the merit and demerit to be implemented or some schools have been using all these while. It’s a system whereby every offenses that you do, you will be given demerit marks. These marks will be accumulated until you reach a certain point where you will have to be expelled from school. I tell you, it is very easy to get demerit marks. You can simply get it every single day and before you know it, a letter will be given and off you go. It is not physically hurting you in fact it does not hurt at all but you will not see the sacking coming. There will be no second chance.

I like the example that was used by the president of Sarawak Teachers’ Union, William Ghani Bina. He said, police did not issue summons when the public parked their vehicles along the yellow-line during festivals because they understood that there were insufficient parking spaces.

The police used their discretion in situation like these and the same goes to teachers.

Well, at least one issue “solved” and guess we will be heading for a better future of the education sector. Whatever it is I think the best way is to let the Education Department and the people with educational background deal with cases like this and the rest can back off and save your comments for the last.

Sharing a quote by Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh,

The matter has also been politicized and some people have even tried to make themselves champions out of it. To me, all these do not solve the problem

The pond was not dirty like what was claimed by Jimmy Kiu (PTA Chairman) as published in the local newspaper

Bawang Assan assemblyman Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh

WTF? Two different people, two different views and guess what? It happened that Jimmy Kiu, the national hero *clap* is the school’s canteen operator. That was how he knew that the canteen water goes to the pond and I was wondering why Hilton, Jimmy and Kandou have different stories. It happened that only Kiu knows the water from the canteen flows into the pond. What does that tells me? Jimmy, poisoned and polluted the pond! (The Borneo Post, Sin Chiew Daily if you are reading this come and interview me regarding my indeed so thorough analysis of the matter) I have no proof but I have the theory. Conspiracy theory, just like Jimmy Kiu.

Another thing, Jimmy Kiu’s 14 year old daughter was in the pond with the rest of the girls. THis is my take on it. Usually right, people only take action when something bad happened to somebody close or related to them. What I’m trying to say is that, if let say Kiu’s daughter was not in pond at the time the incident occured, Kiu wouldn’t have been bothered so much by it. In fact being in the school (canteen operator), Kiu would’ve seen something like that almost everyday and I do believed and hope that he understands the state of our nowadays students’ behaviour in a sense.

Another point I just want to make here, you talk about discipline, it is something we would like to view as a whole. Meaning, from parents, teachers, community and also the students themselves. Now, what I’m trying to say is I think what the warden did was right. Why? Let me tell you. “Menjaga kebersihan adalah tanggungjawab bersama“, have you ever heard of that? I am pretty sure you have. It has been painted all around the school, I don’t know much about other schools but the schools that I’ve been to, they have these words painted on their wall. What does that mean? It means everyone is entitled or oblige to keep the school compound clean and safe for everyone.

One sanitary pad is thrown in the toilet bowl, one person saw it there and she didn’t do anything, she just walked away and then came another and she did the same thing, because in their mind “I’m not the one to be blame. I’m not the one throwing it“. You see, when you punish everyone, it kinda remind them of what bekerjasama is all about, to remind them about how important it is for each and everyone to realise that it’s their duty to keep the school clean no matter who does the littering. It’s better that way and I would like to suggest that Jimmy Kiu should’ve been soaked in the pond with the girls as well – for polluting the pond (IF found guilty)

Now, back to the two Head man, I was just curious. What on earth was Bukit Assek assemblyman doing in a Bawang Assan assemblyman’s territory? Why so kay poh? Want publicity is it? You want to be like Jimmy Kiu also is it? Mind your own business and just let the territory head and the education department do their job. You on the other hand can fuck off and die have so many other things to do in your own territory, I do believe so. I was happy that they didn’t let kay poh person like him enter the school. So, you think when you’re a wakil rakyat you can do what you want la? Let me tell you, you have no right because the school which is directly under Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia, which is the fed and you? Who are you again? Wakil Rakyat? Read the rest here, I’m done for the day.

P/S : Guys, for those who sms me, really sorry I can’t reply because I have no credit. Unless, any of you who would be kind enough to top up for me. As you see, I’m not as famous as Jimmy Kiu, I don’t have a canteen … pity me.

First and foremost I must congratulate you for making the headlines not only in our local newspaper, The Borneo Post but also for making it to our national television. It must have been one great experience for you to be interviewed so many times and also being put under the spotlight. It must be tiring but I’m pretty much sure that you are enjoying it by now.

I am writing this post in respond to what was posted by Raymond Tan on the frontpage of The Borneo Post, Saturday, July 21 2007: Cold, Cruel and Heartless.

According to the report, about 200 boarders of SMK Bawang Assan were forced to squat in a murky fishpond for an hour just because of a fucking sanitary pad, I repeat one fucking sanitary pad was thrown into a toilet bowl. That is what was written.

I understand that being the chairman of the Parents’ & Teachers’ Association of this school you are oblige to take good care of matters involving students’ welfare but mind you, not just the students but also the teachers, the school and also the surrounding community, the parents of the students.

I would just like to share with all of the people, friends and families on what was written in the report and I believed that the report was taken from you, as you took photographs of the incident and I do believed that the reporter never really went down to the place to investigate what really happened before publishing the article because the only comments that was published was only from you, and you alone. Well done I must say.

The woman from Kuching had asked the girls about the pad, and when they kept silent, all of them were forced to enter the pond and remained there with their heads above the water. It was then raining and there was lightning too

It is stagnant (the water), and the water from the canteen flows into this pond

This was extracted from The Sunday Post, Page 2, 22nd July 2007.

The pond was not dirty like what was claimed by Jimmy Kiu (PTA Chairman) as published in the local newspaper

It’s just rainwater. There is no drain from the dinning hall to the pond or any other places

Hilton Gundi, SMK Bawang Assan’s School Senior Assistant

Let me just give you a little piece of my mind. I do agree that what the warden did was wrong and it is something that I would like to describe as something that is beyond the boundary of acceptable disciplinary action and I think many would agree too but the same goes with exaggerating stories. I do understand that you wanted to do the best for the school but I do think that you should at least think before you act. Have you ever thought of the consequences you might face in a long term for what you’ve done?

You were there watching the thing going on. What did you do? Oh ya, snapping pictures for the Borneo Post. So now you are the journalist and the chairman of the PTA also. 2 in 1 ya, like coffeemix. Bloody hell, you could have just gone there and stopped it before it drags on and on. Are you farking sick and insane? So, the Borneo Post assignment is so much better, you can be famous and if you did not do that it will somehow delay the process of being famous. You know, I cannot help myself for being angry. It is not right, I know but you make me angry. Was that my fault?

In the newspaper you might have read a lot of things written in respond to the incident. The headlines: Leaders see punishment as a shameful act, Callers cry foul over pond incident. All this lead to more and more nonsense later on where you will read stories such, I was canned for littering, I was thrown out of the class because I make noise, I don’t want to study and an asshole who really needs to be butt out of the classroom. Come on, you’ve created an opening for blasphemy and rubbish and more rubbish to come! Just look at the papers these past few days; they just cannot live without publishing something about teachers punishing students!

I’m sick of tired of people trying to dictate what a teacher can do or cannot do. For me that’s insane! Try being a teacher for a day and you will know just how it feels. To make a big issue out of this is a farking waste of time and you farking know it! Mr. Kiu just to let you know, this is not the first time that the “throwing sanitary pads in the toilet bowl” incident had happened. It happened for an amount of unscrupulous times and that’s why the warden decided to give them a lesson. So that they keep that in mind and dare not to do it again. Suggest a better way? Like what, sit and talk face to face with the students, talk politely and asked:

“Hello dear, why did you throw your thing in the toilet bowl. You know it’s not right. Next time don’t do it okay”

That is your better way, try doing it. Be my guess. Personally I do not think that what she did was so bad. It was just because of your pathetic exaggeration of the story made it look bad. Do you know why during our grandfather’s days SPM graduate, back then it was called Senior Cambridge is so farking laku? Because the students at that time really study and was well discipline. Well discipline because they were thought in a well discipline way, in a sense when you do something wrong, you will face the wrath of the educators. Did our grandpa ever complaint? I do not know of your grandpa but mine, NEVER! In fact he said that it’s better that way because; look at them now and look at where our SPM leavers stand now?

Another great concern that could possibly happen or I think already happening is that teachers have lost it, the desire and the will to teach. These sorts of things are somewhat I want to call demoralizing. You have put this ignorant mentality in teachers. They were supposed to be educators, the one shaping the future of our generations and more generations to come. When things like this happen, it took all of it away. The passion, the will and what’s another word, I forgot.

“You don’t want to listen; it’s not my problem anymore. I can’t tell you what to do; I can’t discipline you, because by giving you punishment for not doing your work will get me into trouble. I better off teaching those who wants to listen to me”

Have it ever occurred to you in your farking shallow retarded mind that there might be a possibilities in the near future that teachers will go on strike? Have you? I doubt it. So do you think teachers are all to blame for that? Let me tell you, they are paid to teach and shape these students but the early but the act of throwing your farking sanitary pad into the toilet bowl is not written in the textbook or the daily lesson plans, it starts at home. Thin about it.

You might think that by publishing this news to the media has done a great deal of things for the nation. Sad to say, you have made it worst, from bad to ugly. Think about it; think about the future of your children, grandchildren for Christ’s sake. What will happen to them if teachers lose it all? The will and the enthusiasm to teach and treat it like it have nothing to do with them. How if that does happen? Give it a thought my friend.

I may not be a teacher myself but I know how it feels to be a teacher, to be blame on the other receiving end with a gun pointed to my head and believe me Mr. Kiu, I am not here to judge you but I think before anything is taken into action, you better think carefully or better still try to put yourself in the teachers’ shoes because many people just know how to talk and criticize without knowing what is in it actually. You know NOT! If you think tat teachers have done a bad job these days, be one and make a difference. All Malaysians who think they can do a better job than what the teachers here in Malaysia can do, be one and make the difference, be the spark that will light the candle.

As like what was written in the article,

The PTA Chairman said he would talk to the parents before deciding on the next course of action…

Ok, it’s Friday again. I’ve been trying to dig my head on what other issues that I can talk about today but then I just shoved it all away and save it for another day. I mean since I’m a bit free these days, I might as well just write it up anytime during the weekdays. So, no worries. Ok, this entire post is triggered by :

Well, trying to be perfect and a little beat neat in the kitchen .. That’s what I’ve been struggling to do in the past few days after I watched the first episode. I think it’s a cool show. Well, today’s post is not about the show but more on something that I’ve been dying to try to cook and finally I got it right, I mean the taste is right (at least for me ).

I’m not good with this grams, Oz or whatever shit that you use table spoon of whatever fark but let’s just say, if it tested nice then you added the correct amount la. That’s for you not to blame me if I gave you wrong measurements.

How to cook :

1. First, you need to deep fry the ribs. This is to give it that crunchy taste when you eat it to the bone. Of course you have to use pork ribs because the name is Guiness pork ribs. I never really tried this one with chicken, but think chicken ribs is a bit too small .. but anyway, you can try la. Before dipping it into hot oil, make sure you rub some salt on the ribs. Somehow I think that make the extra crunchy taste. Whatever! After the ribs are properly cooked, fried – golden colored. You can see around the ribs got that crumbs then it’s ok dy la. Take it out and toss it somewhere. Oh ya, make sure you use lotsa oil because if not, it won’t be deep fried .. it will be shallow fried then. Ha ha ha .. farnee! bongkersz, I know you laughing and saying “You want to be Kenny Sia is it?”

2. Now, use minimal oil for this one. Like maybe 2-3 table spoon enough la. Wait till it’s sizzling hot then you slow down the volume of the heat and then you put in the garlic. Why garlic? I like garlic. Some people don’t like and for those who don’t like please do not try this at home cause you might hate it more. No la, I like the smell and it some how make the ribs tastier. Let the garlic turns golden coloured.

3. Now the chicken goes in. Mixed em well for a few minutes. Let it be 2-3 minutes to be safe. Then you add in vinegar, use your thumbs on the bottle. No need measure, two times you pur in enough. You don’t want it to be very sour. Then in goes the stout. let it mixed well and then only you pour in some salt, sugar, soy sauce and seasoning.

4. Now, you can serve la. You can put some coriander leaves on top ( Like I did to cover the ugliness of my cooking)

For the halal version I think you can try chicken la and substitute the stout with Malta. So, happy cooking.